Spring tensioned bag closure



Get. 7, 3958 F.- J. QFARRELL ET AL 2,854,217

SPRING TENSIONED BAG CLOSURE Filed Sept. 4, 1956 FIG.\

INVENTOR. FRANK J. o FARRELL MABLE I. O'FARRELL United States PatentSPRING TENSIONED BAG CLOSURE Frank J. OFarrell and Mabel I. OFarrell,Culver City, Calif., assignors of one-tenth to Gadget-Of-The-Month glub,Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of Caliornia ApplicationSeptember 4, 1956, Serial No. 607,629

6 Claims. (Cl. 24-305) This invention relates to closures for bags andsimilar containers, and more particularly to a spring-tensioned closuredisposed in the hem around the mouth of a bag and having generallytriangular looped ends at each side of the bag which, when pressedtogether, are effective to force the sides of the bag apart providing anaperture through which the contents may be poured.

Many articles and products such as candy, peanuts, tobacco, etc., whichwere formerly sold in bulk are now sold in small quantities packaged insmall paper or plas tic bags. Most of these bags are heat sealed, andbecause of the overlapping layers of material adjacent the sealedopening of the bag it is practically impossible to open the bags withoutmutilating them to a degree which makes it impossible for them to bereclosed. As a consequence the contents remaining within the bags areconstantly subject to being spilled, and the bags lose their utility ascontainers and as protection against exposure to air and moisture.

A main object of our invention, therefore, is the provision of a simpleclosure device which may be incorporated into the mouth of a bag andwhich, when squeezed between the thumb and finger, is effective tospread the sides of the bag apart.

Another important object of the present invention is the provision of adevice of the character described which is adapted for manipulation byonly one hand of the user.

A further important object of our invention is the provision of a deviceof the character described which is adapted to close tightly when thetension on the ends thereof is relaxed, and is effective to hold thecontents of the bag tightly therein.

An additional important object of our invention is the provision of adevice of the character described which is adapted dimensionally so thatwhen partially empty the vacant portion of the bag may be rolled uparound the device to further protect the contents remaining in the'bagand to minimize its size when carried or stored.

In brief, the device of our invention includes a continuous band ofresilient, springy material which is formed in a generally fiat loophaving straight and parallel central sections disposed in hems alongopposite sides of the top of the bag. The parallel central sections ofthe closure device are terminated at each of their ends in arm sections,which, in one specific illustrative form, may comprise diagonallydisposed crossed arms sections, and the two arms at each end, in turn,are terminated in end portions perpendicular to the central sections andwhich, when squeezed together between the thumb and a finger of onehand, are effective by means of their diagonally opposite arms to pressthe central sections away from each other, thus opening the bag.

Our invention also encompasses a bag made for the particular purposewith hem portions adjacent the open top thereof and equipped with aspring tensioned closure device as previously described.

Certain variations in the embodiment set forth herein "ice and furtherimportant objects of our invention will be come apparent in thefollowing detailed specification when examined together with referencescited therein to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a closure device constructed according to ourinvention, showing the device in the normally closed position;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic plan view similar to Figure 1 showing theclosure device in the partically open position;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view showing one end of a closure deviceconformed of strip material bent into shape;

Figure 4 is fragmentary plan view showing one end of a closure deviceconformed of a band of material which is folded and bent into thedesired conformation;

Figure 5 is a perspective diagrammatic view of a bag having a closuretherein according to this invention;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line and in thedirection indicated by the arrows 6-6 in Fig. 5;

Figure 7 is a perspective view similar to Figure 5 showing a bag andclosure constructed according to the invention, with the vacant portionof the bag rolled up on the closure device; and

Figure 8 is a view illustrating a slight modification of the inventionwherein the central sections and/or arm sections are not in angularlycrossed relationship, as in the first form of the present inventionillustrated.

Reference is again made to Figure 1 which shows in the closed position aclosure device constructed according to our invention as it would appearin plan view when conformed of round spring wire. The closure device,which is designated generally by the numeral 10, is seen to be acontinuous loop of wire having closely juxtaposed parallel elongatedside sections 11 and 12 which are terminated in what might be bestdescribed as crossed loops 13 and 14 at opposite ends thereof. As can beseen in the figure, the side section 11 is bent at each end to providethe diagonal arms 15 and 16, and the side 12 is similarly and oppositelybent at each end to provide the diagonal arms 17 and 18. The arms, inturn, are terminated outwardly in the end sections 19 and 20respectively.

It should also be observed that the arm 15 extending from the side 11 isdisposed upwardly of or over the arm 17 extending from the side 12 inthe loop 13 terminating in the end section 19, whereas the arm 16extending from the side 11 is disposed downwardly of or under the arm 18extending from the side 12 at the loop 14 terminating in the end section20.

The construction of the irregular loop 10 is such that spring tensioninherent within the variously disposed sections of the loop is effectiveto hold the sides 11 and 12 -in tight juxtaposition between the endloops 13 and 14.

However, when the device is held between a thumb and finger and pressureis applied inwardly in the direction indicated by the arrows E and F inFigure 2, the end sections 19 and 20 are forced inwardly toward eachother and because of the longitudinal rigidity of the arms 11 and 12 thepressure applied results in increasing the acuteness of the angles at 21and 22 at which the arms 17 and 15 are respectively disposed from theend 19 and, similarly the angles at 23 and 24 at which the arms 18 and16 are disposed from the end 20, thereby forcing the sides 11 and 12apart and forming the aperture therebetween designated by the numeral 25in Figure 2.

When the squeezing pressure indicated by the arrows E and F is relaxed,the arms resume their original angular positions relative to theirrespective end sections 19 and.

20, and the sides 11 and 12 again become tightly juxtaposed as shown inFigure 1.

In the fragmentary view of Figure 3, one end of a similar closure deviceis shown as being conformed of strip material considerably greater inwidth as indicated at 26 than in thickness as shown at 27. 'So that the"between the side 33"and the arm section 34, and at the corner 35between the side 36 and the arm section 37 s'o'that the arm 34 isdisposed below the arm 37 and the faces of the longitudinal sidesections 33 and 36, which of course are the same width as the bandmaterial as seen at 37 and '34, will be tightly juxtaposed and inhorizontal edgewise alignment.

In Figure '5 a bag type of container is designated by the numeral 38 andis seen to be conformed in the manner of a pouch having edgewise hemsections 39 and 40 turned downwardly along its upper edge and enclosingthe parallel side sections of the closure device '41 as is more clearlyshown in the sectional view of Figure 6 taken along the line and in thedirection indicated by the arrowns 6-6 in Figure 5,'in which the side 42is turned outwardly at 43 around the side section 44 of the closuredevice, the end 41 of which is also seen in the figure, and the side 45is seen to turn oppositely at 46 around the side member 47 of theclosure device 41.

Asshown in the sectional view of Figure 6, the parallel side sections 44and 47 of the closure device 41 are slightly separated to revealthe'construction of the bag 38 and to show the contents 48 disposed inthe lower part thereof.

In Figure 7 a typical bag-type container such as 38 in the previousfigures, is shown as it would appear when only a portion of the contentsremain in the bottom area 49, and the empty upper portion of the bag 38is rolled as shown at 50 around the side sections such as 44 and 47 inFigure 6 of the closure device between the end loops 41 and 51.

As will be readily understood, the advantages of this procedure residein reducing the size of the partially filled carton and in protectingthe contents remaining therein from exposure to the air or moisture.

Although not illustrated in the drawings, it is anticipated that bagscontaining certain type of products would be provided with airtightsealing strips secured over the jointure line along which the upperedges of the bags align, and the invention further anticipates asuitable tearing strip disposed interiorly of the closure strip withwhich the latter would be torn apart upon the initial opening of thesealed package, thus providing a completely sealed, sanitary packagetogether with the advantages of the finger pressure opening andautomatic closing features during the period of time required to use orremove the contents of the packet.

It is furthermore anticipated that closures of this type and containersof the character described be adapted for use with relatively bulkysubstances such as breakfast foods and large packages of granular foodssuch as salt, sugar, flour, etc.

Figure 8 is a view illustrating a slight modification of the presentinvention wherein the central sections and/0r arm sections are not inangularly crossed relationship as in the earlier form of the presentinvention described hereinabove. In this figure similar referencenumerals will be used, primedjh'owever, to indicate parts correspondingto those illustrated in the earlier figures and described hereinabove.It is though that no further description of this modification isnecessary.

Numerous modifications and variations of the present invention willoccur to those skilled in the art after a careful study hereof. Allsuch, properly within the basic spirit and scopeof the present inventionare intended to be included and comprehended herein as fully as ifspecifically described,- illilstrated and claimed herein.

The exact compositions, configurations, constructions, relativepositionings, and cooperative relationships of the various componentparts of the present'invention are not critical, and can-be modifiedsubstantially within the spirit of the present invention.

The embodiments of the present invention specifically' described andillustrated herein are exemplary only, and are not intended 'to limitthe scope of the present invention, which is tobe interpreted in thelight of the prior art and the appended claims only, with dueconsideration for the doctrine of equivalents.

We claim:

1. A spring tensioned closure device, comprising: a continuousirregularly conformed loop of resilient material, said elongated loopincluding a pair of parallel side sections longitudinally disposed intight juxtaposition, the ends of said side sections being crosseddiagonally over'each other and terminated in oppositely disposedgenerally triangular 'end loops.

2. The invention in accordance with claim 1 being further characterizedby the first of said side sections being crossed over the second sidesection at one end, and under said second side section at the other end.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 2 and further characterized bysaid end loops being provided with end sections disposed substantiallyparallel to each other and perpendicular to said'side sections.

4. The invention in accordance with claim 3 in which said end sectionsare arcuately conformed, the convex sides thereof being disposedinwardly toward said side sections.

5. The invention in accordance with claim 4 in which said closure deviceis conformed of spring tensioned round wire.

6. The invention in accordance with claim 4 in which said closure deviceis conformed of strip material having the ends thereof integrallyconnected to provide a continuous band, the width of said strip beingdisposed in the vertical plane and said'ends of said longitudinal sidesections being twisted into' the relatively horizontal plane at thepoints at which they cross each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS537,928 Klaber Apr. 23, 1895 1,134,520 Dyba Apr. 16, 1915 2,028,309Adams Ian. 21, 1936 2,499,799 Traska Mar. 7, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 15,392Great Britain 1908

